Wednesday, August 08, 2007 Zambo wages war against dengue
THE city’s 98 barangays on Tuesday turned up for the ‘Alarma Contra Dengue’, a city-wide clean up campaign with the main target of reducing the number of dengue hemorrhagic cases in the city.
No less than Mayor Celso Lobregat spearheaded the caravan for the city proper area, as he appealed anew for support and cooperation to the drive against dengue and reminded the public of the measures to prevent and control the spread of the disease.
City Health Officer Rodel Agbulos led the caravan for the east coast area while members of the City Council led the west coast Alarma campaign.
“We have to maintain cleanliness all over the city to eradicate breeding places of dengue mosquitoes”, Mayor Lobregat declared. He said dengue carrier mosquitoes breed in clear stagnant water such as flower vases, cans, rain barrels and old rubber tires.
He said the caravan, held simultaneous with a massive clean up drive, was to emphasize the need to maintain cleanliness and sanitation in the environment.
The habit to maintain a clean environment should be a continuous practice and not only during emergency situations, according to the mayor.
Lobregat keynoted the short program at the Baliwasan Central School that culminated the caravan for the central area.
Baliwasan is one of the over 50 barangays which recorded the most number of dengue fever cases from January to July this year.
Dr. Agbulos, meanwhile, thanked all the sectors that participated in the Alarma Contra Dengue caravan as well as in the clean up drive.
He hoped that the campaign to help minimize if not eradicate dengue cases in the city.
Dengue cases registered a 300 percent increase during the first 7 months of this year as compared to the same period last year.
With the support and cooperation of all sectors specifically the residents in the barangays, the anti-dengue campaign will be a huge success, Agbulos said.
The different barangay councils, employees of the City Government and regional agencies, the military and police sectors, the private sector and other groups actively participated in the caravan and were one in the drive to eradicate dengue. (Sheila Covarrubias)
